One of the good things about the nightlife in Newcastle is you can pretty much walk around all of the areas, as in distance they are all quite close, but in style all very different. But which is the best?

The main areas of Newcastle can be broken down to: The Gate, The Diamond Strip/Central Station, The Bigg Market and The Quayside.

What is considered cool/popular has changed alot. A few years ago the Quayside was a cool place to go, everyone went, clubs like Sea and Baja would be packed with massive queues. Then the people outside of Newcastle found out about it. Now there are stag and hen parties as far as the eye can see, and the locals by majority go to other places. I was in Quilted Camel a few months ago, 21:00 on a Friday night, and there was a handful of people there. Rewind a few years and you wouldnt be able to move. Have the Stag and Hens spoiled the Quayside, or are there now just more/better choices?

Blu Bambu @ the Bigg Market was also considered one of the best Saturday nights out in Newcastle. With big queues, a packed club every week, it was doing good for itself. They destroyed all that themselves by not moving with the times, and forgetting that all the people they would not let in went to other places, never to return. Soon enough they lost the ability to draw a crowd.

Today the place to be is the Central Station area, aka The Diamond Strip. Bars like Madame Koo, Perdu, Bijoux etc. People have a love of trendy bars at the moment, with nice decor, ‘posh’ feel, and a “no cheese allowed here” view. The problem i have with them is the price tag and attitude which goes with some of them. If they are upmarket, why do some of them sell cheap spirits? I hate the places which sell cheap vodka or cheap Martini, to me its like a shop selling a fake. If you go to these places and pay more you expect to get better standard drinks, which is why we go, to drink!

So i would say the best area is The Diamond Strip. BUT, it does depend on what kind of night you want. If you are into a cheesy mood, try The Gate and bars around the Bigg Market.

Leave a comment to have your say

Quilted Camel, is a bar located down the Quayside of Newcastle. It calls itself a trebles bar, which means you will have bartenders telling you “its cheaper for a treble” if you ask for a single or double of a spirit. Talk about encouraging binge drinking!!!

It is located next to Offshore, and is medium in size with 2 main bars. You enter by going straight up the stairs, which can be a difficult thing to do, espeically going back down them when leaving as some people have proven by falling down The bar gets pretty full at the weekend, and you will hear pop/current chart music.

Drinks
Drinks are reasonably priced, selling the usual suspects of beers, bottles and trebles of course. The house vodka is Red Square, which is not the best, but there are some bars which do a worse vodka.

Layout and clientele
The bar has some places to sit, and there are many places to stand and drink. You can look out over at all the bars out of the windows, facing onto the tyne. There is a back room which is more intimate, which is cool to chill out. There is a mixture of people who go here, young and older, dress code is smart casual and fancy dress is allowed.

Lacation
Quatside, next to Offshore

36 Sandhill
Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 3JF